The invention relates to an actuating lever, in particular for adjusting a vehicle seat, with an axle receptacle, with an articulation device for force delivery and with a grip piece.
Generic actuating levers are known from practice and serve, for example for releasing the locking device of a seat length or seat height adjuster. In this case, when the grip piece is pulled or pressed, the lever pivots about an axis of rotation and displaces an articulation device for force delivery, located in the lever, in particular a lug suitable for receiving a bolt. This lug can be in interaction with the locking device via a linkage or a Bowden cable, so that displacement of the articulation device brought about by the operation of the grip piece is transmitted to the locking device and releases the latter.
Highly loaded actuating levers of this type are conventionally produced either from a pressed and stamped steel sheet, if appropriate in conjunction with a grip piece bent from round material and welded on, or by means of metal diecasting.
The first-mentioned levers are extremely cost-effective to manufacture, but may not satisfy stringent demands in terms of the configuration possibilities. Although it is possible, in a diecasting method, to produce high-strength actuating levers of complex geometry which can be additionally chromium-plated for a further improvement in visual appearance, these levers are nevertheless relatively heavy and are therefore inclined, because of their mass inertia, in an accident situation to release the adjustment device unintentionally due to the acceleration forces acting on them. It is therefore necessary always to act upon these actuating levers with a relatively high springforce directed opposite to the release direction. This makes intended release more difficult and, furthermore, increases the cost of the lever mechanism.
The object on which the invention is based is to provide a lightweight, high-strength actuating lever which meets high requirements as to dimensional configuration and surface quality.